Hearing Recall Footsteps, Darling Edges Away From Walker On One Highway Funding Item

State Sen. Alberta Darling, (R- River Hills), facing a probable recall election over her support for Scott Walker's union-busting bill, says she will not support a piece of Scott Walker's proposed 2011-13 state budget that puts some state sales tax collections into the transportation fund.

The highway lobby likes the plan because it boosts the fund and takes off the table any talk of adding a penny or two the gas tax, which is the primary source of the transportation fund and the projects it supports.

Walker has said he supports several billion dollars in new or expanded highway roads, including the Hoan Bridge, the Zoo Interchange, and an added lane from Rockford to Madison.

Darling should oppose a much worse Walker budget scheme - - his Walker's plan to remove transit assistance from the transportation fund.

That damaging plan subsidizes road-building while starving bus systems, but Darling has said she won't, so don't start etching her name on the Progressive Transportation Policy Trophy just yet.